Ngarelen Springs Catchment Area Management Plan.

This Management Plan, made by the Kenya Water Resources Authority, moving from the consideration that catchment areas are vital component in water resource management, due to their water storage capability during the rains, and the ecosystem developed around, concerns the analysis of the current situation of the catchment area of Ngarelen Springs, providing for all the measures for its protection and conservation. The Management Plan focuses on: location of the area; degradation due to the intensive agricultural activities; springs and rivers in the catchment area and evaluation of their quality; natural vegetation of the area and crops; sustainable use of water resources; erosion of the soil of the sub-catchment; issues and challenges including: depletion of freshwater resources, vegetation clearing, climate change; land use management and impacts on water resources.
The Management Plan indicates the following prohibited activities: clearing of indigenous vegetation; disposal of any form of waste; excavation of soil; planting of exotic plant species that may endanger the water resources. Concerning the measures for the protection and conservation of the are, the Management Plan describes the following actions: improvement water use efficiency; mapping of the protection zones around the water catchments; revegetation of the area; controlling abstraction limits; diminishing activities that may lead to pollution and destruction of the eco-system; promotion of alternative livelihood activities, such as bee-keeping, butterfly farming and poultry farming; monitoring of activities and establishment of a water resource database.